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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
@washinstitute.bsky.social
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Advancing a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East. (Reposts & Follows do not constitute endorsement.)
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Reposted by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
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Matthew Levitt @mattlevitt.bsky.social · 5d
New piece on #Hezbollah (yours truly) & Wanger Group (@JohnLechner1) in Africa published by @FightExtremism & @KASonline www.counterextremism.com/sites/defaul...
@WashInstitute
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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 9h
New from @richardmnephew.bsky.social: "The United States and its partners should look carefully at the UN Security Council resolutions and identify similar ways to harness their measures toward preventing Iran from reconstituting its nuclear and missile programs."
Four Keys for Iran Snapback Implementation
Inevitable attempts by Tehran to rebuild its nuclear and missile programs will require a U.S.-led campaign to track the regime’s proliferation activities and block transfers of related materials.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 10h
New from @devorahmargolin.bsky.social and Amb. James Jeffrey: Last month, President Ahmed al-Sharaa made clear that unifying Syria’s territory is his top priority. U.S. officials should urge the parties to take urgent steps on reversing the spike in tensions.
Time to Unify the Kurdish Northeast with the Rest of Syria
Ongoing delays in implementing their integration agreements threaten to derail the entire post-Assad national project, but the Kurds and Damascus don’t need to solve all of their core issues right awa...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 11h
New from @hdagres.bsky.social: "The Islamic Republic has never looked more fragile, and the country’s future is now largely up for grabs—shaped by Israeli and U.S. pressure, the eventual post-Khamenei succession, the actions of the IRGC, or some combination of these factors."
Iranians Are Not Rallying Behind the Islamic Republic
The regime’s attempts to stir up nationalist support and increase its legitimacy postwar are not working—opposition is at a historical high.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 15h
New from Ben Fishman and Sabina Henneberg in Al Majalla: "Libya’s successful municipal elections in 2024 and 2025 offer some hope in an otherwise bleak context. Yet with this hope must also come caution."
Can Municipal Polls Help Break Libya’s Political Deadlock?
Although top-down change seems increasingly unlikely, elected Libyans may stand a better chance of challenging the national status quo by pushing from the local level.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
Last week, Amb. Dennis Ross spoke with @meetthepress.com about President Trump’s proposed twenty-point plan and what this means for the Gaza war.
Meet the Press NOW — Oct. 3
YouTube video by NBC News
www.youtube.com
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
Even amid the fighting in Gaza, all actors should take steps to repair Palestinian governance instead of leaving a vacuum for radical remnants to fill, wrote Ghaith al-Omari for @theatlantic.com in October 2023.
How the Palestinian Authority Failed Its People
Even amid the fighting in Gaza, all actors should take steps to repair Palestinian governance instead of leaving a vacuum for radical remnants to fill.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
"If it manages to bridge gaps, the plan may offer the first viable path toward de-escalation and the beginning of a broader regional realignment," write Neomi Neumann and Ghaith al-Omari.
U.S.-Israeli Reflections on the Anniversary of October 7, 2023
Distinguished former officials and analysts mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel, assessing how best to build on new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding long-term damage to the pr...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
"The U.S.-Israel military relationship has reached unprecedented levels since the October 7 attack," writes Dana Stroul.
U.S.-Israeli Reflections on the Anniversary of October 7, 2023
Distinguished former officials and analysts mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel, assessing how best to build on new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding long-term damage to the pr...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 1d
"Yet as is always the case in the Middle East, the promise of progress requires a strategy to turn the latest military successes into durable political outcomes," writes Amb. Dennis Ross.
U.S.-Israeli Reflections on the Anniversary of October 7, 2023
Distinguished former officials and analysts mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel, assessing how best to build on new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding long-term damage to the pr...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 2d
"Two years after the brutal attack, Israel’s strategic landscape offers a bifocal view," writes Amb. Michael Herzog.

More on how Israel views the post-October 7 conflict:
U.S.-Israeli Reflections on the Anniversary of October 7, 2023
Distinguished former officials and analysts mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel, assessing how best to build on new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding long-term damage to the pr...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 2d
"Any political arrangement made after this war in Gaza needs to focus not just on the future of the coastal strip but also on rehabilitating the PA," wrote Ghaith al-Omari in October 2023 for @theatlantic.com.
How the Palestinian Authority Failed Its People
Even amid the fighting in Gaza, all actors should take steps to repair Palestinian governance instead of leaving a vacuum for radical remnants to fill.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 2d
In October 2023, after Hamas' attack on Israel, Dennis Ross, Robert Satloff, and David Makovsky examined the Israeli war aims and explained why it was important for Prime Minister Netanyahu to develop and communicate a day-after plan.
Israel’s War Aims and the Principles of a Post-Hamas Administration in Gaza
It’s not too early to think about the “day after” the war—even preliminary planning to create an interim administration will help clarify objectives for Israel’s leaders, sustain U.S. support, provide...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 2d
Are we on the verge of bringing the Gaza war to an end? Does the 20-point peace plan hold the promise of the release of hostages and the beginning of a new phase for the people of Gaza? Four experts discuss the current situation in the Middle East and the prospects for peace.
October 7, Two Years On: Repercussions for Israel, the Middle East, and U.S. Policy
Watch an expert conversation examining the ongoing aftershocks of the deadly Hamas terrorist attack against Israel in October 2023 and the prospects for peace.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
The October 7 attack against Israel altered the strategic landscape of the Mideast. Robert Satloff, Amb. Michael Herzog, Amb. Dennis Ross, Dana Stroul, Ghaith al-Omari and Neomi Neumann assess how best to build on the new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding damage to prospects of integration.
U.S.-Israeli Reflections on the Anniversary of October 7
Distinguished former officials and analysts mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel, assessing how best to build on new diplomatic momentum in Gaza while avoiding long-term damage to the pr...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
How did Hamas' attack on Israel change U.S. Middle East policy? Last year, Robert Satloff, Davis Schenker, Dana Stroul, and Amb. Dennis Ross examined how October 7 transformed American policy in the region.
U.S. Policy in the Post-October 7 Middle East: Looking Back, Looking Forward
Three former U.S. officials discuss the challenges—and opportunities—that will greet the next administration in year two of the post-October 7 era.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
In a 2023 CTC Sentinel study, @devorahmargolin.bsky.social and @mattlevitt.bsky.social examined the road from Hamas’ 2007 takeover of Gaza and its initiation of its governance project to the October 7 massacre.
The Road to October 7: Hamas’ Long Game, Clarified - Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Abstract: When Hamas took over the Gaza Strip by force of arms in 2007, it faced an ideological crisis. It could focus on governing Gaza and addressing the needs of the Palestinian people, or it could...
ctc.westpoint.edu
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
For years, Hamas was lambasted by leading Arab voices as a terrorist group that worked against Palestinian interests. And then October 7 happened, wrote Robert Satloff in October 2023.
Arab Critique and Condemnation of Hamas Before October 7, 2023
For years, Hamas was lambasted by leading Arab voices as a terrorist group that worked against Palestinian interests. And then October 7 happened.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
"The lesson for Israelis is simple: without durable and substantive enforcement of demilitarization of a future Palestinian state, any political solution to the conflict will be under permanent threat," wrote David Makovsky in 2024 for Times of Israel.
Without Enforcement, Talk of Two States Is Hollow
Most Israelis would support a deal if they were sure it would bring them security, but their current skepticism is based on real and urgent concerns about demilitarization given their past experience ...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
For Israel, 10/7 was worse than 9/11 was for America, wrote Robert Satloff in October 2023 for New York Daily News.

Here's why:
Why 10/7 Was Worse for Israel Than 9/11 Was for America
In its scope, depravity, and national reach, the Hamas assault was a much greater shock to Israelis, and their response should be viewed through that lens.
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 5d
"This unprecedented assault has left Israel in a state of shock but also with the resolve to end Hamas’s ability to threaten Israel again, and it will inevitably produce an extraordinary response," wrote Amb. Dennis Ross in October 2023 for @foreignaffairs.com.
What Israel Must Do
Disarming Hamas will be costly but essential for peace.
www.foreignaffairs.com
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
Hanin Ghaddar was cited in a @foreignpolicy.com article about Lebanon's plan to disarm Hezbollah.
Inside Lebanon’s Audacious Disarmament Plan
The state faces a stark choice to confront groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas or risk another war with Israel.
foreignpolicy.com
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washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
Understanding Tehran’s decision calculus regarding the building of its nuclear program can shed light on the factors that are likely to influence its future proliferation choices, writes Michael Eisenstadt.
The Risk and Reward of Preventive Strikes Against Iran
The Israeli and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme were a major gamble, but they upended a dangerous status quo in which Iran was accumulating highly enriched uranium, resuming nuclear-weapons-...
www.tandfonline.com
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
The 20-point plan would create an alternative to Hamas, but the president will have to ensure an interim administration meets disarmament commitments—and be ready to support Israeli responses if Hamas reemerges, writes Amb. Dennis Ross in @washingtonpost.com.
Trump Holds the Levers to Move Gaza Toward Peace
The 21-point U.S. plan offers an alternative to Hamas governance, but the president will have to ensure an interim administration meets its disarmament commitments—and support Israeli responses if Ham...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
washinstitute.bsky.social
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 6d
"Any political arrangement made after this war in Gaza needs to focus not just on the future of the coastal strip but also on rehabilitating the PA," wrote Ghaith al-Omari in 2023.
How the Palestinian Authority Failed Its People
Make Palestinian governance better instead of leaving a vacuum for Hamas to fill.
www.theatlantic.com